(Newser)
–
President Obama got his usual hero's welcome overseas, but this trip seemed "jarring and discordant" back in the US, writes Cynthia Tucker in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Our economic news keeps getting worse by the day, yet at summit after summit, “photos of the Obamas in resplendent, gold-bedecked palaces smacked of Marie Antoinette.” Obama cannot afford to be “out of touch with the everyday woes of constituents back home.”

“It will be Obama’s failure if he doesn’t grab the microphone immediately to remind the nation that he has a plan to revive the economy and produce jobs,” Tucker continues. He needs to confront the financial system, “let banks know he expects their full cooperation,” and “make economic revival his number one task." In this dire situation, with clear action necessary, “those photo ops in glittering palaces were a bit off-message.”

You call him a megolomaniac because you see him more than you did Bush. If Bush had any intelligence (off the cuff style) you would have seen him more, too.

Reader65069154

Jul 13, 2009 3:37 AM CDT

All talk, no substance. Sorry, I should say I was referring to his trip, not his domestic policy.

justme

Jul 12, 2009 12:56 PM CDT

I served my country and was part of the military intelligence community. I saw the horror of Viet Nam as our politicians created an unwinnable war. I saw the body counts. I understand your frustration with Bush. I do not understand how you can believe that Obama spending billions we don't have and castrating our industry with cap and trade while China and India go free to unfairly compete is "coordinating an economic recovery."